It Meant a Lot
by Ptaszek87
Summary: Henry is avoiding Jo and she is determined to figure out why. DISCLAIMER: This is my first fanfic so please be gentle. I will try to take criticism in stride and improve the story if I can. The story makes sense in my own head. Hopefully it makes sense to you also. I own nothing. I'm getting no money for this. Please don't sue me. I'm sorry if I copied anyone. Didn't mean to.


"Henry. Kiss me." Jo stopped suddenly in the middle of the sidewalk and turned to face him. They had been following a suspect from the opposite side of the street. The man was squirrely, looking all around himself constantly. Jo was sure he had seen them. Guess he noticed that the same two people were keeping time with him block after block. They had to do something to take the suspicion off of them.

"What - ?"

"Just kiss me. Now." Jo hissed. This was really not the time for chivalry and properness. She grabbed Henry's scarf and pulled him towards her, using the momentum to turn him around so she could look over his shoulder and across the street.

What better way to make everyone look anywhere but at you. People did seem to avoid looking at a couple kissing in a public place.

Unfortunately, Henry wasn't cooperating. He was standing there stiffly, not responding at all. _Not very convincing_, Jo thought.

"Will you at least try to pretend you're enjoying yourself?" She mouthed against Henry's lips. She glanced up at him when she got no response. Henry was frozen. Eyes wide, full of confusion and panic.

_Oh no. This isn't good. _

Abandoning that plan, Jo looked back across the street. _Damn_. The suspect was gone.

"Come on, Henry. Let's go", Jo said tersely. She was several steps away when she realized that he wasn't following. She returned to him, still standing in the same spot where she had kissed him, distant look in his eyes. She reached for his hand to get his attention. "Henry?" she said more softly this time.

At her touch, he blinked and recoiled. Suddenly back in the here and now, he glanced at her and then quickly looked away. He nodded briefly and turned to start walking back to her car.

He wouldn't look at her the entire ride back to the station. The car ride was filled with silence, making Jo realize just how used she'd gotten to Henry's constant commentary on the sights around.

Arriving back at the station, Henry quickly excused himself back to his office.

_This is really not good_.

* * *

><p>Jo had let Henry have his distance. Obviously he felt awkward about the situation. Maybe some time and distance had helped. The case had wrapped up and she had gotten another. Two days after "the incident", Jo went to the morgue to get Henry before going out to the next crime scene.<p>

"Hi Henry. We have another body. You coming?" She tried to sound nonchalant. She hoped it worked. In reality, her heart had started racing faster and faster the closer she had gotten to the morgue. Seeing Henry standing over his work table, her heart jumped into her throat. Or maybe her stomach? She wasn't sure which. She hadn't seen him in two days. Seriously, why was she so nervous?

Henry did not look up from what he was doing. "I'm sorry, Detective. I really must finish this autopsy today. But I will be more than happy to take a look at your body once it is brought back to the morgue."

Snort Lucas slapped a hand over his mouth. Henry and Jo looked at his quizzically. Obviously neither of them had caught Henry's inadvertent innuendo.

Jo glanced at Henry once more and tried to catch his eye. Being unsuccessful, she gave up. "Ok then. I'll leave you to it." Somewhat disappointed, she went on her way.

The entire exchange left Lucas speechless, his hand still clasped over his mouth; his eyes darting from Henry to Jo and back, trying to figure out what was going on.

Henry noticed his assistance's uncharacteristic silence and looked at him once again. He stood up straight, drawing himself up to his full height, a challenge shining brightly in his eyes.

Self preservation kicked in and Lucas thought better of whatever question he was going to pose. His head dropped back down to his work. _Guess mom and dad had a fight_, he thought.

Henry relaxed somewhat and resumed his study of the body in front of him.

* * *

><p>This was getting ridiculous. Henry's contact with Jo had remained minimal. Only what was necessary to report on his findings. And he remained frustratingly professional. Jo had had enough. Though their partnership had been relatively shortlived, Jo found that she missed it. It was so very quiet without him. Maybe a little lonely.<p>

With these thoughts, Jo steeled herself and walked into the Antiques shop.

Abe looked up from what he was doing at the sound of the door. His expression warmed when he saw who it was.

"Detective! Good evening! Haven't seen you around here in a while. The murder business been busy?"

"Um…" Jo hesitated. How much should she tell Abe? Well, Henry wasn't speaking to her anyway so what could it hurt? And no one knew Henry better than Abe, so…

"Not any busier than normal. It's just… Henry's been avoiding me, actually. I think. Seems like he is, anyway."

Abe raised an eyebrow. He had noticed Henry's recent sullen mood. He never considered that Jo was the source; she had been such a welcome bright spot in both of their lives for the past few months.

Getting no verbal response from Abe, Jo continued nervously. "So I thought I'd come and try to talk to him someplace where he can't walk away from me. Is he here?"

"He is. Upstairs, on the roof." Somewhere in the back, a tea kettle called attention to itself. "I was just going to being him a cup of tea. Maybe you can take it to him instead."

"Ok. Thank you, Abe."

* * *

><p>Jo carefully set the mug of steaming tea in front of Henry, who had yet to look up from his notes.<p>

"Thank you, Abraham."

"You're welcome." Henry visibly jumped in surprise at the sound of Jo's voice.

"Detective! What are you doing here?" Henry had stood up from his chair and taken a step away from Jo. _This is starting off well_, she thought.

"Well… " Jo began. She looked at him and sighed. Might as well get it over with. "I wanted to clear the air. Something's bothering you. I don't know what it is but I have a feeling it's my fault. What did I do, Henry? Why are you so upset with me?"

"I am fine, Detective. Just busy - ."

Frustration and anger and hurt took over. "That's a load of crap, Henry, and you know it. I may not have the same powers of observation as you do but it's pretty damn obvious that you've been avoiding me like the plague." She held up a hand quickly. "And before you start, I don't need a historical lesson about the Black Death right now! I need you to talk to me!"

Henry looked down at his hands for a long time, weighing his options. Well, the truth had always worked in the past. Mostly. With a sigh of resignation, he began "Jo, I am not very good at talking – "

"Coulda fooled me!" Jo interrupted under her breath. She was getting desperate for an answer. When did she start _needing_ Henry so much?

"- about myself to other people." Henry continued without stopping, talking over Jo, eyes closed in concentration. Point of no return reached, he had to keep going. He opened his eyes and he looked at her again. "As you may have noticed, I do not have too many friends. There's Abe. Maybe Lucas. " He paused, eyes softening but with a hint of fear. "And you."

"Ok. Yeah, I noticed. And I consider you a friend too but why has that become such a huge problem all of a sudden?"

"You kissed me, Jo."

Jo laughed incredulously. "Seriously! That's what this is about?! Don't worry. You made it perfectly clear when we first met that you had no interest in me. I don't expect anything from you. It didn't mean anything. I was trying to keep our suspect from catching on that we were following." _Not that it worked_.

Jo had walked several feet away from Henry during her rant. She turned to see him rooted where he stood, pained expression on his face. She thought she saw some embarrassment there too. She walked slowly back to him trying to figure out why he still looked so conflicted.

"Really, Henry, don't worry about it. I didn't take it the wrong way. You don't have to 'let me down gently'. Let's just forget it happened." She hesitated before her next statement. "I… I need my partner back, Henry."

Henry looked up sharply. Jo's brave words helped him gather his own courage. This was not an easy subject for him to discuss. To be sure, his experience with women, or lack there of, was laughable by the standards of modern society. But he was of a different era. How could he make Jo understand that?

"Jo, for me, there had been no one but Abigail." His eyes held hers, willing her to understand what he was trying to convey. "And there has been no one since she died." He finished softly, voice breaking somewhat on the last word.

Again, he pleaded that Jo read between the lines.

"Oh Henry." Jo's face fell. She felt a little sick to her stomach. Though she had not had a serious relationship since her husband died, she had had a couple dalliances here and there. As good looking and charming as Henry was, she had assumed he had done the same.

"That was the first time you've kissed someone since Abigail." It was a statement. He nodded once, though there was no need. She understood fully. "And I'm guessing you didn't think your first kiss would be in the middle of a busy New York street and used as a distraction to throw off a suspect." Jo's cheeks colored in shame. She had taken something special away from him.

The muscles of Henry's face worked furiously as he tried to control his emotions. Jo closed the distance between them and placed her hand on his arm. "I am so sorry, Henry." Her hand slid further down and she intertwined their fingers. Brow furrowed, she had to look away. Her own emotions were getting the better of her. "I promise I won't ever take that for granted again."

To her surprise, Henry pulled Jo the rest of the way to him and wrapped his arms around her. One arm rested on her lower back and the other tangled fingers into her hair. She hugged him back desperately. They'd definitely had some sort of breakthrough. Jo's arms clung around Henry's neck. Without thinking about it, she tucked her forehead under his chin. God, it'd been a while since she'd felt this safe. And loved?

She pulled back slightly, enough to see Henry's face. But Henry didn't let her go, much to both of their surprise. "You kind of freaked out on me. Don't do that again." She scolded playfully.

A shy, crooked smile finally broke out on Henry's face. "I didn't know what to think, Jo. Didn't know how I felt about what happened."

"And now?"

"I'm still figuring it out." He hugged her to him quickly again. "I'm glad it was you, Jo." He whispered in her ear, causing her to shiver.

Finally parting, Jo looked at Henry uncertainly. "So are we okay?"

"Yes. We are more than ok."

The creak of the door to the roof caught Henry's attention. "Stay for dinner, Jo. I have a feeling that Abraham has made a feast for us. He has just been waiting for the right time to serve it."

At the sound of his name, Abe opened the door sheepishly. Caught eavesdropping, he produced a bottle of right, red wine and three glasses and placed them on the table.

"I'll just go get the lasagna." And he darted away.

Jo watched him go, marveling at the wonderful little family she had been accepted in to.


End file.
